Is "Arschloch" offensive?

Yes — very. It rates 4/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Fighting words). aimed at a person, will start something. Read the usage note before you even think about it.

How do you pronounce "Arschloch"?

Say it "ARSH-loch" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈaʁʃ.lɔx.

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German · Insults & Name-Calling

Arschloch

ARSH-loch · /ˈaʁʃ.lɔx/

Asshole

4/5 Fighting words

aimed at a person, will start something

Literally

"Arse-hole"

Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.

How to use it

The heavyweight of everyday German insults, and worth a real warning: calling a police officer "Arschloch" is a criminal Beleidigung (§185 StGB), with fines running from the hundreds into the low thousands, scaled to your income (Germany fines by Tagessätze — day-fines tied to what you earn). To another driver it starts fights; to a friend, delivered with a grin, it's almost affectionate. Context and tone are everything. The "-loch" (hole) ending is a whole insult family: Dreckloch, Drecksloch.

Heard in the wild

Der hat mir den Parkplatz weggeschnappt, dieses Arschloch!

He nicked my parking spot, that asshole!

Where it lands

Germany, Austria, Switzerland — universal

Quick answers

What does "Arschloch" mean?: In German, "Arschloch" means "Asshole". Literally it's "Arse-hole". The heavyweight of everyday German insults, and worth a real warning: calling a police officer "Arschloch" is a criminal Beleidigung (§185 StGB), with fines running from the hundreds into the low thousands, scaled to your income (Germany fines by Tagessätze — day-fines tied to what you earn). To another driver it starts fights; to a friend, delivered with a grin, it's almost affectionate. Context and tone are everything. The "-loch" (hole) ending is a whole insult family: Dreckloch, Drecksloch.
Is "Arschloch" offensive?: Yes — very. It rates 4/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Fighting words). aimed at a person, will start something. Read the usage note before you even think about it.
How do you pronounce "Arschloch"?: Say it "ARSH-loch" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ˈaʁʃ.lɔx.

Related in German

Arsch ARSH Arse / ass — and the second great compound-engine of German Halt die Klappe! HALT dee KLAP-uh Shut your trap! / Shut up! Depp DEP Idiot / dope Blödmann BLURT-mahn Idiot / dumbass Wichser VIK-ser Wanker / jerk-off Hurensohn HOO-ren-zohn Son of a bitch

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "You idiot".

how to say "You idiot" →

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